How does a new 2019 Ford Ranger do with fuel economy on a long 1,000+ mile road trip from Los Angeles, CA to Denver, CO? We recently drove a fully-loaded Ranger crew cab 4×4 with the FX4 package and made fuel economy calculations at the pump during three fill-ups.
Ford is currently investigating its own fuel economy/emissions modeling and physical testing procedures. Ford has hired an independent company to check their procedures and data. The first vehicle under the microscope is the 2019 Ranger.
The 2019 Ranger has just one engine/transmission available. It’s the 2.3L turbocharged four-cylinder with a rating of 270 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque. The transmission is a 10-speed automatic, and the rear axle ration is a 3.73.
The Ranger 4×4 is EPA certified at 20 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the highway. It’s important to note that the Ranger FX4 we tested has a unique front-end with a steel skid plate to protect the underside while off-roading. The FX4 model removes a lower chin spoiler that is available on other Ranger 4×4 and 2WD models.
After nearly 1,000 miles of measured highway travel and three fill-ups, the final average was 19.5 MPG. This was all highway driving, but we faced an elevation change from sea level to the Rocky Mountains, higher speed limit in Utah (80 MPH), some head wind in Utah, and snow in Colorado.
Update 2/25/19: TFLtruck has not yet tested the 2019 Ford Ranger on our 98-mile test loop in Colorado. We will test the truck again on our highway MPG loop in March — stay tuned for more!
Please take a look at the video below for all the details as Nathan and I drive the truck through some beautiful scenery.
